Pharmacy technicians can contribute to an improvement in the drug treatment in geriatric bed-wards

Abstract

(PC) were extracted from nursing home/GP referral documents and the ED electronic record system. The Beers (2012) and STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons’ potentially inappropriate Prescriptions) criteria were applied and compared. A clinician panel reviewed the association between PIMs and ED PC. Results.– Two hundred and six NH residents aged ≥65years attended the ED in 2011. Hundred and ninety-five out of 206 patients (95%) were included. Patients from intellectual disability and respite care serviceswere excluded. Hundred and twenty-nine (66%) were female. Mean age was 82.3 years (±7.6). Mean number of medications prescribed pre-arrival to ED was 8.5 (±5.2) (range 0–25). Hundred and fifty-seven out of 195 (81%) were prescribed ≥1 PIM by either criterion. When reviewed separately 140/195 (72%) received a PIMaccording to STOPP and147/195 (75%) according toBeers. Therewasa “definite”associationbetweenPCandPIMs in 37/195 (19%), and a “potential” association in 35/195 (18%). Conclusions.– There is a high prevalence of PIMs in this population and a PIM-related adverse event was potentially associated with theEDPC inover a thirdof cases.Medication reviewusing criteria to identify PIMs may result in fewer ED attendances by NH residents.